🇷🇺🇻🇪 On September 20, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had a conversation with Foreign Minister of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Yvan Gil on the sidelines of the 78th Session of the UN General Assembly.

During their meeting, held in a traditionally trusting atmosphere, the Ministers confirmed the concurrence of Russia and Venezuela’s approaches to current international problems and outlined plans to step up foreign policy coordination, specifically at the Group of Friends in Defence of the UN Charter.

They noted the dynamic development of their countries’ bilateral relations in the context of strategic partnership and agreed on taking steps to promote these relations in every way with a focus on strengthening the political dialogue, stepping up trade, investment, scientific and technological ties, expanding cultural and humanitarian exchanges, and improving the contractual and legal infrastructure.

Sergey Lavrov has supported the Bolivarian authorities’ consistent efforts to ensure internal political stability and advance along the path of sustainable socioeconomic development. He welcomed Caracas’ initiatives in regional affairs and its contribution to intensifying the integration processes on the continent and promoting the rapprochement between Latin America and the EAEU.

Off we go! 🇺🇳

Day 1 📹 #UNGA78

🇷🇺🇺🇳 On September 20, the Russian delegation led by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived at the UN Headquarters in New York to participate in the High-Level week of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly.

The first working day was a success 👇

• Meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Jordan Ayman Safadi.
• Meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Honduras Eduardo Enrique Reina.
• Conversation with Foreign Minister of Venezuela Yvan Gil.
• Working meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the CSTO member countries.
• Meeting of BRICS Ministers of Foreign Affairs/International Relations.
• FM Lavrov's remarks at the UN Security Council meeting.
• Ad hoc meeting of the SCO Foreign Ministers Council.
• Meeting with Director General of IAEA Rafael Grossi.
• Meeting with Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit.

#ICYMI

🇷🇺🇾🇪 Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Chairman of the Presidential Leadership Council of Yemen Rashad Muhammad al-Alimi hold talks.

#RussiaYemen #UNGA78

🎙 FM Sergey Lavrov’s remarks at the UNSC meeting “Upholding the purposes and principles of the UN Charter through effective multilateralism: maintenance of peace and security of Ukraine” (New York, September 20, 2023)

Key talking points:

• When the Cold War came to an end, the US-led so-called collective West appropriated the right to rule the destinies of the entire humankind and, driven by its exceptionalism complex, started ignoring the legacy of the UN founding fathers more often and on an increasingly greater scale.

• The West makes selective use of the Charter’s norms and principles, on a case-by-case basis, and only when they serve its vested geopolitical needs. This inevitably throws global stability off-balance, exacerbating the existing hotbeds of tension and creating new ones.

• As for talks, we do not refuse to talk now either. President of Russia Vladimir Putin said this on numerous occasions, including recently. <...> President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky has signed an executive order prohibiting talks with the government of Vladimir Putin. If the US is interested in such talks, I think it only needs to give the signal for Zelensky’s order to be cancelled.

• Today, the rhetoric of our opponents is full of slogans such as “invasion,” “aggression” and “annexation.” They do not say a word about the inner reasons for the problem, or the fact that for many years they nurtured a downright Nazi regime, which is openly rewriting the results of World War II and the history of their own people.

• While chanting their mantras about the territorial integrity of Ukraine, the former colonial powers keep silent about the UN decisions inviting France to return the island of Mayotte to the Comoros and Britain to withdraw from the Chagos Islands and to resume negotiations with Argentina to resolve the Falkland Islands (Malvinas) issue.

• Facts point to a deep crisis in international relations and the absence of the Western countries’ desire and will to overcome this crisis.

Read in full

#UNGA78

🇷🇺🇪🇬 Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held talks with Foreign Minister of the Arab Republic of Egypt Sameh Shoukry.

#RussiaEgypt #UNGA78

🇷🇺🇦🇿📞 President Vladimir Putin spoke over the phone with President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.

Ilham Aliyev offered his apology and deepest condolences following the tragic death of members of the Russian Peacekeeping Corps (RPC) on September 20 in Karabakh. He emphasised that the incident will be thoroughly investigated and all those responsible will be held accountable. The Prosecutor General’s Offices of the two countries are keeping in close contact with regard to the matter. The President of Azerbaijan also expressed readiness to offer financial aid to the families of the killed officers.

Both Parties noted the importance of consistently implementing the agreements reached with the assistance of the Russian peacekeepers on complete cessation of hostilities in Karabakh. The talks that began between the representatives of Baku and Stepanakert, with the peacekeepers’ mediation, have particular importance in this context.

The Parties considered priority steps towards stabilising the situation and overcoming humanitarian issues in the region. Vladimir Putin stressed the importance of protecting the rights and security of the Armenian population in Karabakh. Azerbaijan confirmed its readiness to cooperate on these matters with the Russian peacekeepers.

The two Leaders agreed to intensify the talks within the framework of the 2020–2022 highest-level trilateral agreements, primarily with respect to unblocking transport connections, delimitating the Azerbaijan-Armenia border and drafting a peace treaty between Baku and Yerevan.

🇧🇷🇷🇺🇮🇳🇨🇳🇿🇦 On September 20, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov chaired a traditional meeting of the BRICS Foreign Ministers on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. According to the established practice, the meeting was organised by the Russian Side as the next BRICS Chair.

The Ministers exchanged views on a wide range of current international issues, including those on the agenda of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly. They considered ways of promoting peace and security, global economic stability and sustainable development.

The Parties reaffirmed their intention to enhance the coordination of the #BRICS format at international platforms, relying on the members’ commitment to multilateralism and the vision of a more equitable world order with the central role of the United Nations and governed by international law.

The participants reviewed certain aspects of interaction within the BRICS framework in the context of the decisions made at the XV BRICS Summit, held on August 22-24 in South Africa. Sergey Lavrov informed his colleagues about Russia’s plans for chairing BRICS in 2024.

Following the meeting, the Ministers approved a joint communiqué.

#UNGA78

🎙 Watch in full Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's remarks at the preparatory Ministerial dedicated to the Summit of the Future Summit in 2024.

📍New York

#UNGA78

📸 #PhotoOfTheDay

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov takes part in the High Level Week at the 78th Session of the UN General Assembly, meetings and talks on the margins included. Day 2

#UNGA78

🇷🇺🇾🇪 On September 21, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and President of the Presidential Leadership Council of the Republic of Yemen Rashad al-Alimihad held a meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly’s 78th Session.

During the conversation, the two officials discussed various aspects of bilateral cooperation and emphasised their commitment to further strengthening foreign policy coordination between Russia and Yemen in the United Nations, as well as within other international platforms.

Sergey Lavrov and Rashad al-Alimi paid special attention to the ongoing military, political and humanitarian developments in Yemen, with the Russian Foreign Minister reaffirming Moscow’s principled position that there is no alternative to settling the crisis in Yemen by political and diplomatic means. Sergey Lavrov went on to highlight the importance of undertaking further efforts to achieve a lasting ceasefire and launching a full-scale national dialogue under UN auspices in order to achieve a comprehensive settlement in Yemen.

#RussiaYemen #UNGA78

🇷🇺🇹🇭 On September 21, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand Panpree Phahitthanukorn met on the sidelines of the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

🤝 In the course of the conversation the Parties discussed the prospects for the development of Russian-Thai cooperation in priority areas, including the promotion of political dialogue, increasing trade and economic ties and humanitarian exchanges, as well as the coordination of efforts within UN agencies.

The Ministers exchanged views on topical issues on the international and regional agenda.

#RussiaThailand #UNGA78

🇷🇺🇲🇱 Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held talks with Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Mali Abdoulaye Diop.

#RussiaMali #UNGA78